What is a Hybrid Car?

When Salem shoppers are looking for a fuel-efficient vehicle, many turn to hybrid-powered vehicles. But what exactly is the hybrid car definition? The hybrid car meaning is essentially a vehicle that has an electric motor with a gasoline engine. By the hybrid car definition, both the electric motor and gasoline engines work together to provide the best fuel economy possible.

If you’re looking for something to tackle the Newberg commute without constantly stopping at the pump, you should consider a hybrid vehicle. Today at Lum's GMC, we’re going to go over the hybrid car meaning in-depth, answer the question, “What is a hybrid car?” and go over the different types of hybrid powertrains. Then feel free to head on over to our rotating offers and incentives to see if you can save on your next hybrid vehicle.

Types of Hybrid Cars

A hybrid powertrain consists of an electric motor and a gasoline engine. In most hybrid cars, both the motor and the engine work in conjunction to maximize fuel efficiency. However, before choosing a hybrid vehicle for your Hillsboro adventures, you’ll want to learn about the different types of hybrid vehicles. Let’s take a look at the different hybrid powertrains:

Parallel Hybrid

A parallel hybrid is the most common hybrid vehicle on the market today. The parallel hybrid car definition means that the electric motor and gasoline engine are connected to the same automatic, manual, or CVT transmission. Parallel hybrids blend their two power sources to propel the vehicle forward.

Series Hybrid

Series hybrid vehicles also have electric motors paired with a gasoline engine. The difference is the electric motor is directly paired with the transmission and is the sole power source of the vehicle. The gasoline engine in a series hybrid vehicle simply acts as a generator for the electric motors and its only job is to provide power to the gasoline engine.

Plug-In Hybrid

A plug-in hybrid is similar to a parallel hybrid in that both the electric motor and gasoline engine are connected to the transmission. However, what makes plug-in hybrids so special is that they have increased battery packs and offer the ability to drive farther on the electric motors alone. If you’re regularly driving short distances, you can drive on pure electric power, come home, and plug the hybrid vehicle in (similar to an electric vehicle) to recharge the battery packs.

What’s nice about plug-in hybrid vehicles is that if you ever run out of electric driving range, the gasoline engine will kick in and act as if you’re driving a conventional parallel hybrid vehicle.

Your Hybrid Vehicle is Waiting for You at Lum's GMC!

Hybrid vehicles are a fantastic option for McMinnville drivers who don’t want to worry about range anxiety but appreciate a fuel-efficient car. Whether you want a new or pre-owned hybrid vehicle, we can help you find what you’re looking for with our vehicle finder service. Contact us today if you have any questions or concerns. We look forward to getting you behind the wheel of a hybrid vehicle waiting for you at Lum's GMC. See you soon!